Belgrade, 12 October 2000 (RFE/RL) - Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica said today that if the people of Montenegro vote to break away from the Yugoslav Federation in the future, their will would be respected by Belgrade. Kostunica has pledged to conduct referenda in both Montenegro and Serbia about the future of the Federation. He also has promised to seek revisions of the Yugoslav Constitution in order to restore powers to Montenegro that were stripped away during the rule of ousted Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

In an interview with Italian television today, Kostunica said new constitutional solutions will stem from dialogue with Podgorica that is based on the will of the people in both republics.

Montenegrin Foreign Minister Branko Lukaovac said yesterday that his republic wants a new and equal relationship with Serbia in the Yugoslav Federation.